I am developing an autopilot control unit {acu} for a 32 ft boat. The most important function is heading hold. I am looking at an arduino board with the appropriate sensors. The sensors package needs to detect change in heading more so than the actual heading although the latter is also nice.My plan is to first develop a device which detects quantitative heading change first. When that is stable develop code to output on off instructions to a h bridge for the stearing drive.I am looking for opinions on appropriate hardware for this project.
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I'm in a own project called RabdakPilot: build a boat autopilot and trying learn from others. My project is in advanced status and near to heavy water tests. If you want know more about, just google rabadakpilot and watch my project.
Yes I am interested. I am still working on the mechanical drive. Have a motor and looking now for a clutch. It will be a chain drive. H bridge to drive motor back and forth. Is there a way to exchange e mails?
Hi Victor, I have two circuit boards developed. I am re releasing both. One is a motor driver for driving either linear or hydraulic systems. The other is a controller with sensors. If u hv interest in either let me know. Looking to defray board costs .
I have created an autopilot for my 34 ft sailboat. It is road tested on a race and return trip from SF to Hawaii.
Appropriate hardware:
- developed H Drive using MOSFET drive + logic to handle approx 20 amps peak.
- developed hydraulic/electric drive system for tiller.
- computer (uProcessor) based control with 9 DOF sensors (magnetometer, rate gyros, accel.). An ATMEGA processor as found in Arduino Uno has been sufficient but is now out of room. Something with about 50K code space and 8K of RAM should be more than sufficient if compiling from C.
Replies
Hi All,
I'm in a own project called RabdakPilot: build a boat autopilot and trying learn from others. My project is in advanced status and near to heavy water tests. If you want know more about, just google rabadakpilot and watch my project.
Hope share ideas about.
Warm regards from Portugal
PS. this is a PDF file with the prototype
RabadakPilot May-2015.pdf
Thanks Victor
Appropriate hardware:
- developed H Drive using MOSFET drive + logic to handle approx 20 amps peak.
- developed hydraulic/electric drive system for tiller.
- computer (uProcessor) based control with 9 DOF sensors (magnetometer, rate gyros, accel.). An ATMEGA processor as found in Arduino Uno has been sufficient but is now out of room. Something with about 50K code space and 8K of RAM should be more than sufficient if compiling from C.